The V-shaped return spring and the rocking lever, which connects spring to the slide, are clearly visible on the right side of the grip. Webley & Scott Ltd, famous British gun-making company, began experiments with self-loading pistols during the earliest years of the 20th century.

Their first attempt, based on design of the Hugh Gabbet-Fairfax and known as "Mars" pistol, proved to be a commercial failure, and in 1903 company began experiments with weapons, designed by its factory manager, Mr. Early prototypes, known as Webley - Scott model 1904 pistols, were based on short-recoil operated action, designed by Whiting.

In 1905, Whiting designed new pistol, based on simple blowback action and intended for relatively low-power ammunition.

Pistols of this pattern were built in .32 caliber (.32 ACP / 7,65mm Browning) until 1940 in several minor modifications.Version of this pistol, produced in 1908, was adopted by British Metropolitan police, and similar pistols in this caliber also were adopted by other police forces across the British empire.In 1909 Whiting designed an enlarged version of his basic blowback design, chambered for more powerful 9mm Browning Long (9x20SR) ammunition.This pistol differed from its smaller cousins by having an internal hammer and automatic grip safety, rather than exposed hammer and manual safety of the M1905 pattern.The year of 1910 saw introduction of another short-recoil operated pistol from Webley & Scott, also designed by Whiting.This gun retained same external outline of its predecessors, but was larger and had slide of the rectangular cross-section (all blowback-operated Webley pistols had slides with rounded tops).